Improvement in locks for repeating fire-arms



J- R. MOCK,

Muzzle-Loading Fire-Arm.

Patent ed May 31, 1859.

SFETERS. FHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHMG ON. D C,

' without obstruction.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES R. MOGK, OF ELIZABETHTOVVN, KENTUCKY.

IMPROVEMENT IN LOCKS FOR REPEATING FIRE-ARMS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 24,228, dated May 31,1859.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known thatl, JAMES R. Moon, of Elizabethtown, in the county ofHardin and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Improvementin-Guns; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exactdescription thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,and to the letters of reference marked thereon.

My invention relates to guns intended to be loaded with, severalcartridges at the same time, one rammed down upon another, thesecartridges being afterward discharged in succession by means of a seriesof touch-holes or nipples and a sliding hammer or look.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side view of a gun-breechwith my improvemcntattached. Fig. 2 is a cross-section through thebarrel, grooved box, and my improved lockplate. The other figures showdetached parts.

My invention consists of a coiled spring, in combination with a slidinglock provided with a catch and a catch-spring, and a grooved barrel andgrooved breech-pin.

In Fig. 1 of the accompanying drawings, H represents part of mygun-barrel with the grooved box A cast in the same piece and extendingalong the side of the barrel H, Fig. 1. This grooved box, being cast,may be finished off with very little expense. The lock-plate No. l isfitted into the groove A and slides freely back and forth along the sideof the barrel H,ca-rrying the hammer No. 2. Along the lip of the groovedbox A are several notches, B, into which the end of the catch-No. 6 ispressed by catch-spring No. 7, to fix the lock in proper position forthe hammer No. 2 to strike the nipples D in the bottom of the groovedbox A.

Attached to the lock-plate No. l is a coiled spring, F, which connectsthe plate with the breech of the gun. Whenever the catch No. 6 is raisedfrom one of the notches B this coiled sprin g draws thelock-plate backuntil the catch No. 6 enters the next notch B and again fixes the lock.

The breech of my gun is made removable for the purpose of cleaning. Italso hasa grooved box continuous with the box A in the barrel, so thatthe lock-plate slides into the breech In the construction of the gun thegreatest care is required to arrange the two sections of the grooved boxso that when the breech and barrel are screwed together the two sectionsof the grooved box shall exactly correspond and allow the lock to slidefreely from the barrel to the breech.

The coiled spring F is made detachable, so that the lock can be readilyslipped out of the grooved box and carried in the pocket to protect itfrom dampness.

My lock-plate is very simple and of peculiar construction. Across-section of this plate is seen in Fig. 2, letter E representing thelateral grooves at the bottom of the grooved box A.

These lateral grooves and the corresponding ribs or shoulders on thesides of the lock-plate No. 1 hold the plate in position as it slidesand give great accuracy of motion to the lock-plate, insuring the strokeof the hammer No. 2 exactly upon the nipple D. Three other viewsof theside, bottom, and top-of No. 1 give a complete idea of its construction.This lockplate No. 1 carries the other parts of the lock, which are veryfew and simple-namely, the hammer No.2, mainspring No. 4, trigger-springNo. 5, catch No. 6, and catch-spring 7. The arrangement of the whole isnew and especially adapted to a sliding lock. The lock-plate is a singlepiece, and the whole lock is very compact, convenient, and durable. Thetrigger, also, is in the same plate. The tubes extending from the nippleD to the hollow of the barrel are flared out or widened near the top ofthe tubes, and are gradually lessened as they approach the bore orhollow of the barrel.

This shape renders the. fire or discharge of the gun more certain uponthe explosion of the cap, and yet prevents any loss of the force of thepower from within-the barrel.

Unlike guns where the lock slides in the wooden stock, my gun requiresno wooden stock along the barrel. On this account my gun can be madecheaper. Moreover, my metallic grooved box may be kept always in perfectortler; but with a groove in a wooden stock the lock has too much playin dry weather, and is liable to bind in wet weather on account of theswelling and warping of-the wood. Moreover, the wooden groove soonwears, so that the lock will not be properly guided.

The barrel of the gun being loaded with several successive chargesextending from to D, Fig. the lock is pushed out, extending spring F soas to bring the hammer opposite the cartridge nearest the muzzle of thegun. Now, upon the fall of the hammer the firstcartridge is discharged.Then the lock recedes to the next nipple, when the next cartridge isdischarged. Thus six or more balls may be discharged in rapidsuccession. When the lock recedes to the breech by cocking or halfcocking, the lock ofiers no obstacle to the removal of the breech-pinfor cleaning the gun. The

gun can be unbrecchcd by hand without the aid of any tools Whatever.

I am aware that a gun-lock has been made to slide in a wooden stock andto discharge a succession of cartridges; but I believe that a groovedbox made partly in the barrel itself and partly in the breech-pin is newand a great improvement in this class of guns.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

The use of the coiled spring F, in combination with the sliding lock,the catch No. 6, catch-spring No. 7, and grooved vbarrel and groovedbreech-pin, substantially as described.

JAMES R. MOOK.

Attest:

W. V. VIRTUES, OHAs. G. WINTERSMITH.

